Joshua 24:1-2, 15-18 / Ephesians 5:21-32 / John 6:60-69
Language is made of words by which we communicate with one another.
It is not a matter of how many languages we know but how well we can use a language to communicate with others.
But as much as we should use simple words so that others can understand what we are saying, language can be quite a complex matter.
There is politically correct language. So a short person is not called short but vertically challenged.
Or a fat person is not called fat but horizontally challenged. And the homeless are called residentially flexible.
Why are those terms called politically correct is logically challenging – it has got nothing to do with politics or correctness.
It may sound nice but whether it is clear or not is another matter.
When it comes to language, it is said that if we can’t say it simply enough, then it may mean that we don’t have a good command of the language.
Because language to the mind is more than light to the eye.
So there is simple language that enables us to speak the same language and we understand and get connected.
And then there is abusive language and foul language that contains swear words or “f” words that are repulsive that does no good to anyone at all.
And in today’s gospel, we hear of another description of language – intolerable language.
That was how some of the followers of Jesus described His doctrine of the living bread that came down from heaven.
Jesus said that He is the living bread that came down from heaven, and the bread that He gives is His flesh for the life of the world.
What Jesus said is neither abusive nor foul, and it is simple enough to be understood.
His followers understood what He said but they could not accept what He taught. And so they call it intolerable language.
Putting it simply, they were saying that Jesus was talking nonsense, and that He was absurd and ridiculous.
And that was because Jesus said that the bread that He shall give is His flesh for the life of the world.
And that anyone who eats His flesh and drinks His blood will have eternal life.
It was nonsensical and absurd and ridiculous to them, and they could not tolerate it so they left Jesus.
And what about us? Can we accept the teachings of Jesus? Don’t we feel disturbed by His teachings?
Well, by the fact that we are here for Mass may mean that we accept and believe in the teachings of Jesus.
We say “Amen” when we receive Holy Communion, and we believe that we are receiving the Body of Christ, that we are eating His flesh.
But what about the other challenging and difficult teachings of Jesus?
Like for e.g., “love your enemies, and pray for those who and persecute you” (Mat 5:43-44).
Or how about this : “Offer the wicked man no resistance; if anyone strikes you on your right cheek, offer him the other as well” (Mat 5:39)
Or, “Anyone who does not carry his cross and come after Me cannot be my disciple” (Lk 14:27).
In fact, every page of the gospels is filled with some kind of hard teachings of Jesus.
These teachings of Jesus may sound absurd and ridiculous, yet His words are spirit and they are life, and they contain the message of eternal life.
In fact, Jesus and His message are like a paradox, which may initially seem absurd and ridiculous, but nonetheless true.
Yes, it is the truth, but it is only after going through the pains of the trails of life, when we let others “eat our flesh” that we can discover the truth of Jesus and His message.
Because it is in these trials of life that we will have to decide whether to leave Jesus or to believe in Him; whether to stay with Jesus or to stay away from Him.
And if we believe in Jesus and want to stay with Him then we too must speak His language.
His language may not be politically correct but it is the language of love and it uses words like “sacrifice”.
Besides the spoken language, there is also another language called the body language.
In other words, our bodies must also communicate what our mouths have spoken.
If we believe that Jesus has the message of eternal life, then we too must speak the same language, and we too must offer our lives in love and sacrifice and let others “eat our flesh and drink our blood”.
That sounds like intolerable language and rather repulsive.
But if we were to believe in Jesus, then we will have to speak His language of love.
Jesus expressed His language of love in His sacrifice on the cross.
May we speak likewise and act likewise.